President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday assured Nigerians that Book Haram insurgency in the country will soon end. The president made this known in Lagos when he hosted some Igbo market and town union leaders under the auspices of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria led by billionaire businessmen Arthur Eze and Ifeanyi Ubah. “I just want to tell Nigerians that this phase will surely pass,” said Jonathan, who lamented the Kano bomb attack where about 200 people were killed on Friday. “This intimidation will not last. We will continue to improve on the technology needed to combat terrorism,” he added. The…
Author: Wale Adebayo
The Federal Government and states have finally agreed to start funding the nation’s judiciary as spelt out in the constitution. This follows a series of agitations by the leadership of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, which culminated in an agreement reached with the union last Thursday. It would be recalled that JUSUN got a court order from the Federal High Court Abuja on January 13, 2014 regarding respect for the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on financial autonomy of the judiciary. The judiciary workers had on July 11 embarked on a three-week strike, which was suspended after various…
The Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Sa’ad III, has challenged the different Islamic sects in the country to unite and fight insurgency. He spoke while condemning Friday’s suicide bomb blasts at the Kano Central mosque saying “those behind all the attacks are not Muslims”. “I do not believe those perpetrating these are Muslims because if they are Muslims they are not professing what Islam teaches. In the world over it is the duty and responsibility of government to provide security for the citizenry. This is the time for all…
Gov. Martin Elechi of Ebonyi has warned new Coordinators of Development Centres in the State against acts detrimental to policies and programmes of the Government. The governor gave the warning in Abakaliki on Friday when he administered oath of office on the 28 new coordinators who replaced those he sacked on Nov.17. According to the governor, the sacked coordinators worked against the mandate which they were given on appointment. “As the government was intolerant of such acts, they had to leave. “You should understand my ‘body language’ and understand the direction of government policies and actions. “When you don’t understand…
ICPC CHAIRMAN, EKPO NTA About 335 officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), were, yesterday, presented with certificates for weapon handling and intelligence gathering. Chairman of the commission, Mr. Ekpo Nta, who spoke during the presentation ceremony at the ICPC headquarters, said with the training, the officers and men of the commission were better in a better stead to tackle crimes as law enforcement agents. Mr. Nta recalled that when he first assumed office as the chairman of the commission, members of staff were operating without proper field expertise and always required the services of…
NAFDAC DG, Dr.Paul Orhii The National Agency for Food and Drugs, Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed seized products worth over N100 million from Imo, Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi states. The counterfeit and unwholesome products which were destroyed include drugs/vaccines, food, packaging materials, pesticides, labels, chemicals, cosmetics and medical devices. “Drug counterfeiting has become a menace globally. In 2001, the prevalence of counterfeit drugs was put at over 40 per cent; some people say 60 per cent. But under the leadership of late Prof. Dora Akunyili, NAFDAC waged a ceaseless battle against drug counterfeiting and we have been able to…
EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Lamorde The current global oil prices decline will discipline Nigeria, a country where unclad display of corruption through tax evasion have become commonplace. The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Lamorde, stated this at the ongoing seminar on Tax Crime Investigation and Prosecution Course organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in conjunction with the European Union (EU). According to him, going by a recent investigation conducted by the EFCC, “only few individuals and institutions pay tax; most businesses don’t pay their tax, people drive N50 million car and…
Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Stephen Oru has assured Nigerians that the federal government would ensure the construction of the East-West road is completed. Oru made the promise at a Niger Delta National Youth leaders and stakeholders’ forum, held in Benin City, Edo State. “The East-West road, as you are all aware was originally started by the Federal Ministry of Works and was handed over to the ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, when they had only completed just 10 kilometers. Today, what used to be dilapidated East-West road is now wearing new looks. “At the initial stage, it was designed…
President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday said he regrets the failure of the South-west to get the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives in accordance with the zoning arrangement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). “I always say it; one of the problems I faced in the National Assembly was that I felt the right thing should be done because our party has a formula. We have six geo-political zones in the country and when the president emerges from one of the geo-political zones, the vice president emerges from another geo-political zone, the rest core offices – the senate…
A Deputy Controller of Prisons will spend the next seven years of his life as an inmate after Justice J.J Majebi found him guilty of salary-related fraud by a Kogi State High Court sitting in Okene. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had in 2012 arraigned the prison officer, Joseph Friday Idachaba on a three count charge. EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren said that the “convict was found guilty on count three of the charges by the trial judge.” He was however acquitted on the two remaining counts. The third charge reads: “That you Joseph Friday…
source:today.ng The Emir of Kano, Muhammed Sanusi II on Saturday visited the Kano Mosque where two suicide bombers hit on Friday killing about 200 worshippers, saying Muslims in Nigeria will not be intimidated by the attack. Two suspected Boko Haram members had on Friday blown themselves up at the Grand Mosque Kano, where the Emir usually leads Jumat prayers, although he was reportedly out of the country at the time of the attack. Gunmen stationed at different escape routes were also said to have opened fire on people following the blasts. “We will never be intimidated into abandoning our religion,…
The Peoples Democratic Party has expressed shock over Friday’s bomb attack that claimed the lives of innocent citizens worshipping at the Kano Central Mosque, describing it as “very painful”. The party, in solidarity with the people of Kano, subsequently postponed the state House of Assembly primaries earlier slated for Saturday, November 29, 2014 even as it prayed God to comfort the bereaved and bring enduring peace to the nation. A statement by National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh said the party was grief-stricken when it received the news of the gruesome attack “especially considering that the victims were…
FROM LEFT: PROJECT MANAGER, TRANSITION MONITORING GROUP (TMG), MR LAZARUS APIR, TMG CHAIRMAN, MR IBRAHIM ZIKIRULLAHI AND THE VICE CHAIRMAN, HAJIA LIMOTA GOROSO, AT A NEWS CONFERENCE. PHOTO: NAN The dust raised by last Thursday’s invasion of the National Assembly by the police and other security agencies is yet to settle with a civil society organization, Transition Monitoring Group, TMG, condemning the action. The Chairman TMG, Zikirullahi Ibrahim, on Thursday, at a World press conference titled “State of the Nation”, said the siege would go down in history as one of the most ignoble attempts to subvert democracy and the…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday Friday 28, 2014, secured the conviction of a top prison officer as Justice J.J Majebi of the Kogi State High Court, Okene, convicted and sentenced Joseph Friday Idachaba, a Deputy Controller of Prisons, to seven years imprisonment for offences bordering on obtaining money by false pretence. Idachaba was also ordered to pay the sum of N1, 403,114.09 (One Million, Four Hundred and Three Thousand, One Hundred and Fourteen Naira, Nine Kobo) in restitution to the Nigeria Prison Service. A statement issued by the Head, Media and Publicity of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, on…
The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has condemned Friday’s blasts at the Kano Central Mosque, which killed over one hundred Nigerians. The Forum, while expressing shock and disbelief over the three bomb explosions, described the act aimed at Muslim worshipers in the mosque as wicked, callous and barbaric. A statement by ACF National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, noted that, the recent bomb explosions in Yola, Maiduguri, Azare, Kontagora and many other towns in the North coupled with the daily killing of innocent people by insurgents, is very disturbing and worrisome. “This insecurity situation that have engulfed the North is a clear…
President Goodluck Jonathan will on Monday honour the 100 Nigerian businesses that have contributed to making Nigeria the largest economy in Africa. The president will specially recognise the businesses at a dinner, which will hold at the Presidential Villa. It is targerted at celebrating investors in the Nigerian economic space and encouraging more investement flow. Chairman of the Business Assessment Committee, Mr. Jim Obazee, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria said that the companies cut across the whole strata of the Nigerian business spectrum. He said they are also the ones generating…
Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has accused President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration of killing many Edo indigenes due to the alleged refusal by the President to give ecological funds to areas devastated by erosion in the state and many other APC states. He expressed regret that the president could be bias along party lines where it concerns the lives of Nigerians. He noted that the Edo people who he has now deserted gave him 95 percent of their votes in 2011. He therefore stressed the need for Jonathan and his party to be voted out in 2015. The Governor made the…
The Deputy Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has commiserated with the families of those killed in Friday’s suicide bombings at the Grand Mosque in Kano. At least 120 people have been reported killed and 270 others wounded when two suicide bombers blew themselves up and gunmen opened fire during weekly prayers at the mosque of one of the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. Ganduje described the incident as very unfortunate. He also prayed for the quick recovery of those who sustained injuries in the blasts. He called on the people of the state to continue to pray…
More than 92 people have been confirmed dead in Friday’s bombing at the Grand Mosque in Kano, AFP reports. National police spokesman Emmanuel Ojukwu told AFP that two bombers blew themselves up in quick succession, before the gunmen opened fire on those who were trying to escape. About 126 people were also injured. Friday’s attack came days after the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi urged civilians to take up arms and defend themselves against Islamist sect Boko Haram, as security operatives have not been able to provide adequate protection. The blasts came after a bomb attack was foiled against…
A twin bombing during Friday prayers at Kano’s Grand Mosque have led to the death of at least 64 people. 126 others who were injured have however been rescued, an official told AFP. The official, who asked to remain anonymous, as he was not authorised to speak to the media said 64 bodies had been taken to a hospital in the commercial city. He however said, “Those figures are going to climb.” Two bombs had exploded in quick succession in the premises of the Grand Mosque seconds after the Friday prayers started. A third also went off nearby. Emir of…